Jar-cover straightener.



B. S. KNUTSON. JAR COVER STRAIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3.1912.

Patented Nov. 19; 1912.

INVEIVTUR Benme S. Knui'scn Mm E WIT MES-9E8 monwsrs 'To all whom it mayconcern:

a citizen of the use, a portion being broken away;

.a table or other support UNITED STATES- PATENT BENNIE s. knurson, orSTEWARD, rumors.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1912. Serial No. 694,816.

Be it known that I, BENNIE S. KNU'rsoN,

United States,-\ and a resident of Steward, in the county of Lee andState of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved J ar-CoverStraightener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to household devices, and particularly to meanswhereby common metal fruit jar. tops 1 may be straightened after beingdistorted, and used repeatedly, instead of discarding themunnecessarily. It is well known that a fruit jar cover is commonly bentor distorted either in opening the jar or preparatory to opening it,either by means of a tool to admit air or bythe operation of a jaropener applied to the cap. Such a cap must be straightened before it-can be used agam with safety, or else it must be thrown away, a bentcap being unreliable because it is impossible to preserve a jar airtightwith such a cap.

Among the objects,-therefore, of this invention, is to provide a deviceof comparatively cheap and simple nature, whereby the ordinaryhouseholder may have and use one for the purpose above indicated.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification in which like characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which1 Figure 1 is anelevation of a preferred embodiment of this invention shown as in Fig. 2is a vertical section of a part of the device; Fig. 3 is a fragment of acommon metal jar cap indicating the nature of a distorted rim or partwhich renders such a cap useless; Fig. 4 is a modification described below; and Fig.- 5 is a transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

As illustrated, this device comprises a frame 10 of any suitable designor construction which may be temporarily clamped to by means of a screw11. In the upper portion of. the frame is journaled a by a crank 13 orby-any other suitable means. On the opposite end of the shaft 12 issecured a. mandrel nature and shaped to conform to the normal shape ofthe inner surface of a common shaft 12 adapted to be rotated- 14 of asuitable rigidmetal fruit jar cover 15 which is adapted to be applied onthe outside of the mandrel. As indicated in Fig. 3, the flared edge ofthe cover at 15 is bent out of the normal form, and when applied to themandrel willbe restored or straightened to its proper shape by theapplication of suitable means on the exterior of the cover incooperation with said mandrel.

As shown in Fig. 1, I provide a roller 16 pivotally mounted upon an arm17 which may be movably connected to the frame as at l8. Any suitablemeans may be used to keep the roller 16 in proper operative relation tothe mandrel, or to withdraw it therefrom, such means being indicatedsomewhat conventionally by the extension I!) of the lever 17 which maybe operated by hand or any other suitable way.

The modification indicated in Fig. 4 differs in the omission of theroller and providing that the end 17 of the lever be made to engagedirectly with the flange of the cover.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 consists of a die 20 adapted to beapplied as by screwing thereon to the exterior of the cover. The thread21 of the die is adapted to conform to the threaded part of the coverand serves to straighten any irregularities which may have been formedin the thread of the cover, and the lower rim .22 of the die is adaptedto cooperate with the opposing portion of the mandrel in establishingaproper shape to the flanged portion of the cover. The die is providedwithmeaus in the form of a bail 23 whereby it may be manipulated or heldstationary while the mandrel is being turned with relation thereto. Inorder to secure the die to the jar cover 15 for the purpose ofunscrewing the cover, I provide any suitable locking means, the samebeing indicated as a roller 24 ivoted eccentrically at 25 in the wall ofthe die. The periphery of the roller 24 is threaded or grooved toconform to the threads above mentioned, and is mounted upon thepivot 25with sufficient looseness to enable it to cooperate with the thread onthe cover, even though when rotating on its axis, due to the grippingeffect of the cam.

The several parts of this invention may be made of any suitablematerials and the relative sizes and proportions thereof may be variedto suit the standard types of jar Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

\ the mandrel.

covers which are commonly used, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a threadedmandrel adapted to snugly receive a jar cover on its outer surface withwhich the cover is adapted to conform, means to manipulate the mandrel,a die; adapted to be snugly fitted to the outer surface of the cover toco operate with the mandrel, said die having a thread conformingwto thethreaded por-V tion of the cover and mandrel, and means to hold the diestationary with respect to the mandrel to control its rotation, and

means on the outside of the cover and cooperating With said mandrel,said means adapted upon rotation thereof independently of the rotationof the mandrel to straighten the distorted edge of the cover.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

- BENNIE S. KNUTSON.

Witnesses:

O. O. RowLEY, F. P. BURNETT.

